Halloween & Haunt Vendors Association

(Formerly the Eastern Haunters Convention)

The National Haunters Convention will be at the Valley Forge Convention Center (in Valley Forge, PA) on Friday, April 10th, 2009, and Saturday, April 11th, 2009. We have also contracted for the Valley Forge Convention Center in 2010 (The First Weekend in May, 2010) and in 2011 (Dates to be announced soon).

This Convention Center offers the largest right to work exhibit space in Suburban Philadelphia with over 108,000 gross square feet of space. There is NO union fees and plenty of room to park both tag along and full size trailers as the complex is complete with actual docking locations. The location also features incredible ceiling height, nice meeting rooms, and plenty of restaurants and meeting places for everyone.

The combined forces of Michael Bruner from ‘The Monster Maze’ and the ‘PA Haunters Gathering’ as well as Robert Kocher (Xanthar of the Museum) of ‘The Village of Darkness’ have developed a three-year expansion plan for the Convention. Our 2009-year will be our transition year where we will be phasing out the Eastern Haunters Convention and then be known as the National Haunters Convention completely in 2010 and beyond.

In addition to securing the location for the next three years, we will be upgrading our management systems with approximately $25,000 worth of Website Design, SQL coding, and enhanced features to both Halloween University as well as the National Haunters Convention to allow some of the latest technology to be used for the Halloween and Haunt Industry. Mike and myself have ’spared no expense’ in trying to present our industry with a professional and modern vantage point.

The Sixth Annual Haunted Attraction National Tradeshow and Convention, (better known as HAuNTcon) comes to the Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel and Convention Center, April 30-May 4, 2009 with a pre-show tour of area Haunted Houses April 29-30.

Designed by Haunters, for Haunters of every age and level of experience, HAuNTcon brings people together who love Haunted Houses and Halloween for a fun filled three days and nights of Haunter Education, Tours of Local Haunted Houses, jam packed Tradeshow Floor, Hearse Show and an incredible Costume Ball!

“HAuNTcon is an opportunity for Haunters to network, share tips and stories, get fresh ideas, learn new ways of doing things and check out the latest in Haunting props,” explains Leonard Pickel, editor of Haunted Attraction Magazine and event coordinator for HAuNTcon. “It is the best money you can spend on your Haunted Event.”

Open to the general public, HAuNTcon is a convention and expo that packs in everything a Haunter could possibly want or need to make the next Halloween season the best it can be!

Tours of local Haunted Attractions for HAuNTcon 2009 are slated to include the all new Terror on the Fox in Green Bay, Wisconsin April 30, and Morgan Manor Haunted House in Waukesha, Wisconsin May 1. Both of these attractions will be in full operation and opened off-season specifically for HAuNTcon attendees.

A key component of HAuNTcon is education, with over 40 hours of seminars, workshops and “Make-N-Takes” are included in the price of admission to help attendees learn “how-to” build props, sets and make their attractions better.

The huge Tradeshow floor, Friday May 1 through May 3, is filled with the latest in fright services and equipment for the professional Haunted House owner and Halloween enthusiast alike. From horror makeup and highly detailed masks to static props and large animatronic creatures, everything a Haunter needs will be for sale and many at wholesale prices.

Saturday night May 2, is the massive Haunted Attraction Magazine Costume Ball, where Haunters from across the country show-off their most creative costumes at a rocking party that celebrates the joy of getting into character for fun rather than for work. It is Halloween in May!

A Hearse and Parade Car Rally is planned for Sunday May 3, as the hotel parking lot fills with a collection of creepy tricked out vehicles and funeral cars.

Attendee and Exhibitor Registrations are available at www.hauntcon.com, as is a schedule of events for the weekend. Discount hotel rates for the Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel and Convention Center are also available on the convention website.

If you own a Haunted House or would like to find out how to get started in the Haunt business, then HAuNTcon is a “not to be missed” convention! Even if you just like Haunted Houses and Halloween, then you are in for a rare inside look at how major Haunted Attractions across the country scare millions of people each October.